Improvement in apparatus for distilling petroleum



W. B, S'NOW.- improve-ment in Apparatus for Di'stilling Petroleum.

P atent'ed Aug 20,1812..

STATES VILLIAM B. SNOW, OF BROOKLYN, NEWXYORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR DlSTlLLlNGfPETROLlEUIVlfl Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No. 130,668,1lated August 20, i872.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM B. SNOW, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Apparatus for Distilling Petroleum; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview of an apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both thegures.

In the distillation of petroleum oils in the ordinary still, comprisinga sheet-metal tank with a lire underneath, as soon as vapor begins topass off from the crude material that portion of the latter in contactwith the bottom, or most highly heated part of the tank, is burned bythe comparatively intense heat, and forms a film of carbonaceous matterupon the surface just mentioned, this being accompanied by the formationof carbonio-acid gas,

which passes into and dilutes the vapors generated by the process ofdistillation, within certain narrow limits. The lm or deposit serves agood purpose, inasmuch as a continnous removal, as, for example byscraping', would not only expose a constantly fresh surface ofhighly-heated vmetal to the oil, and, of course, cause a still morerapid carbonization and a greatly increased waste, but would also resultin a constant powdering of the deposit which, mingling with the crudeoil, would be highly detrimental to the complete volatization of thehydrocarbons. vOn the other hand, if the deposit be left alone itrapidly accumulates, interfering with the 4proper working of the still,causing a waste of the oil by the consumption of a portion thereof inthe carboni zation just specified, diluting the condensible vapors withcarbonio acid and deteriorating the quality of the distillate, thislatter for the reason that the heavier constituents of pe-V troleumwhich, from their superior gravity, sink to the bottom of the still, andare the first to be attacked and decomposed by the heated metallicsurface, are also those from which oils having the highest fire-test areobtained. To avoid, therefore, these drawbacks, and to provide a meanswhereby the practical advantages of the film of carbonaceousmatter inthe heated surface of the shell may be obtained without any material orhurtful increase in such film or deposit, I have recourse to, and myinvention consists in, the'combination, with the tank or body of asuitable still, of reciprocating blades and dashers, so

constructed, arranged and operated as to keep up a constant agitation ofthe contents ofthe tank during the distillin g process, without anyscraping action whatever upon the bottom of such tank, by which meansthe desired object is ef'ectually obtained. My invention also consistsin certain novel combinations of parts whereby the more efiicientvoperation of the just-mentioned feature of my said invention is secured.4

4To enable others to understand the nature and operation of myinvention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawing.

A is the metallic tank or body of the still, of any suitableconfiguration or construction, furnished with appropriate means formaintaining a fire underneath and provided with an outlet-pipe, B,through which the vapors generated or evolved during the process ofdistillation pass to the condenser. Within the tank, one near each endthereof, are hangers C, the general form of which is more particularlyshown in Fig. 2, and which are bolted firmly to the upper part of thetank, as shown at a, rlhese hangers carry the bearings b of arock-shaft, D, wholly within the tank and provided with two radial armsc, to the outer end of which is attached the blade or dasher E, whichhas a position longitudinal with that of the tank. rIhe bearings b are-so located that the sweep or movement of the dasher is concentric withthe bottom of the still, and near, but quite out of contact with thesame. The hangers by which the bearings Z are sustained, being attached,as set forth, to the up` per part of the tank, are wholly out of the Wayof the dasher in its movement, hereinafter more particularly explained,and at the same time allow a more facile adjustment ofthe bearings andobviate, in a greater degree, any strain upon the tank in the working ofthe apparatus than if the said bearingsib were lilled upon the endsofthe tank. Upon one end of the rock-shaft D is a crank-ann, d, whichconnects, bya rod, e, with a crank, j", on the inner end of a driving-shaft, F, which passes through a long bearing, g, in the end, but atthe upper part thereof of the tank. This driving-shaft has at its outerend a pulley, G, by which a rotatory motion is given thereto. Therotation of the drivin g-shaft F acting through the erankj, rod e, andcrank-arm d, communicate motion to the rock-shaft D, and cause thedasher E to move to and fro with a vibratory or reciprocating motion,just clear of the adjacent surface ofthe bottom ot' the tank, and in isuch mannerY as to thoroughly agitate the contents of suoli tank,thereby maintaining a uniform admiXture throughout the whole of itslighter and heavier components, and preventing any portion of the wholefrom remaining in contact with the bottom for a length of timesufficient to become oarbonized, or to add in any material degree to thefilm designedly allowed to accumulate and remain thereon, in the mannerand for the purpose herein previously explained-the distillation of theentire quantity of petroleum or crude oil being by this means securedWithout the excessive Waste arising from the earbonization of thatportion of the oil allowed to come in contact invention being applicableto tanks of otherconfiguration than that herein particularly described.v

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

' 1.V The arrangement within the'tank'oi" the rock-shaft D, carrying thedasher E, the crank f, rod c, and crankarm d, ofthe driving-shaft F, foroperation substantially as and for the purpose specitied. y

2. rlhe arrangement of the hangers C, attached to the upper part ofthetank and sus taining the bearings b of the rock-shaft D, carrying thedasher E, situated wholly Within the tank, substantially as and for thepurpose specified. A

W. B. SNOW. lvitnesses:

FRED. HAYNES, R. E. RAnnAU.

